Hundreds of protesting farmers, who had been holed up at the borders of Punjab and Haryana since early Tuesday, announced to return to their places, with the Haryana government deciding on both demands -- the release of detained farmer leaders and arranging a meeting with Union Minister Shivraj Chouhan over their apprehensions against the proposed India-US trade deal.
Also, Haryana Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana, who met farm leaders comprising Swarna Singh Pandher at the heavily barricaded Shambhu border amidst security buildup, assured them he would arrange a meeting with Union Minister Shivraj Chouhan, or whoever the central government designates, within a week or 10 days over their demands.
“All our leaders have been released, so we have decided to break the deadlock and march back. Now we are heading back. We have opened the roads now, and we are peacefully marching back towards our homes,” farmer leader Tezveer Singh told the media.
After the meeting, Pandher told the media that the Agriculture Minister accepted their memorandum and assured them that he would facilitate talks with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Minister Rana said he has received the demands submitted by the farmers’ union, and he would forward it to the appropriate authorities so that all issues can be resolved.
Regarding the release of leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni, he told the media that he would speak to the Chief Minister and ensure a resolution by this evening. Responding to stopping the farmers from reaching the national capital for a Kisan Mahapanchayat opposing the proposed India-US trade deal, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said, “The way in which the farmer brothers are being forcibly stopped at the Shambhu border is utterly wrong.
The Modi government’s cycle of repression, unchecked tyranny, and chains of coercion could neither stop the farmers in the past nor will it be able to stop them now.” Earlier in the day, hundreds of farmers from Punjab, who began marching towards Delhi to participate in Kisan Mahapanchayat, were stopped by the Haryana Police at the Shambhu border, the entry point to Haryana.
Also, the Haryana Police had detained BKU (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni and blocked key state highways to prevent the march from reaching the national capital. Farmers claim the trade deal will affect agriculture. They said they were heading to Delhi in a peaceful manner by riding buses and private vehicles instead of tractor-trailers, and they were not allowed to travel to the national capital.
“We are carrying the flag of our farmers’ organisation and a stick. Why is the government feeling fearful of us? We are not carrying any weapons. Why were we stopped from moving forward? If the government stops us here, we will sit here for an indefinite sit-in protest,” said one of the protesters at Shambhu border in Patiala district, just 12 km ahead of Haryana’s Ambala city.
The rally is being organised under the banner of 'Desh Bachao Morcha'. Allowing cheaper agricultural imports into India, the India-US trade deal agreement, leaders said, would adversely affect farmers, farm labourers and the agricultural economy.
Security has also been beefed up along the Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri borders to stop the protest in Delhi.